Mitchell began his engineering career at General Electric Aerospace. In 1992, he joined Alpine Electronics and became a founding member of its research company which is credited for introducing navigation systems to the U.S. market. During his tenure at Alpine, he held several positions, including manager of software engineering and director of IT. His background includes management of both nonprofit and electronics industry organizations.

Mitchell’s academic credentials include a doctorate in higher education management from University of Georgia; an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University and a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from Brigham Young University. He is fluent in Japanese and is experienced in producing successful business results internationally.

One World, One Industry: IPC Legislative Victories Reached with Outstanding Member and Industry Support

After months of working with legislators in the United States to ensure our industry is well represented, I am pleased to say that we have been successful in our efforts—particularly concerning defense electronics and workforce education. The work of industry and IPC members cannot be understated. By telling real-life stories to legislators, you provided valuable input on how their constituents are affected by what happens in the electronics manufacturing industry.

Regarding defense electronics, the U.S. president recently signed legislation that will bring long-term focus to military electronics—specifically Section 845 of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which calls on the Secretary of Defense to prepare a report on the health of the U.S. defense electronics industrial base. The report must include a plan to formalize the long-term resourcing and mission of the Executive Agent, the principal Defense Department entity charged with assuring the security and availability of printed circuit and interconnect technologies for defense electronics.

IPC continues to provide industry data and opportunities for U.S. legislators to hear directly from our members.

In workforce education, the U.S. Congress sent legislation to the president that will strengthen workforce education training efforts. The President signed the Perkins Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act. This was another issue that benefited from our member company executives explaining to leaders in Congress and the Administration how the skills gap is constraining the growth of their companies, and in some cases, their long-term viability. I was also happy to sign a letter to the leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee urging them to complete their work on the bill. Because the Perkins CTE Act is now signed, it assures me that our industry has support as we work to train and certify the future workforce.

These victories in North America will set the stage for the work we are doing globally as we continue our international outreach. In November, we will rely on our European members to provide input to legislators as we support our industry at IMPACT Europe in Brussels.

We couldn’t do any of this work without you, and I’d like to take this time to thank you for your support. I look forward to continuing our advocacy efforts around the globe. By working together to support our industry in the face of numerous legislative and political changes, we can continue to keep the electronics manufacturing industry at the top of the individuals’ minds who are making decisions that affect the work we do every day.

If you have any questions or comments on IPC advocacy efforts, please contact me or Chris Mitchell, IPC’s vice president of global government relations.

John Mitchell is president and CEO of IPC—Association Connecting Electronics Industries.

2018

After months of working with legislators in the United States to ensure our industry is well represented, I am pleased to say that we have been successful in our efforts—particularly concerning defense electronics and workforce education.

IPC spent the summer gearing up for new education and certification platforms, and has announced that IPC EDGE 2.0 is ready for all certification users. John Mitchell talked with David Hernandez, senior director of learning and professional development, and Kris Roberson, director of certification programs, to talk about what’s new in education and certification.

In May, IPC Europe welcomed new Senior Director Nicolas Robin. Based in Brussels, Nicolas will represent IPC and the electronics manufacturing industry in Europe. I recently sat down with Nicolas for a one-to-one conversation to get to know him better and introduce him to fellow electronics industry members.

As electronics play an increasingly important role in automotive manufacturing, tremendous change and great progress have been made worldwide. We are at the crossroads of incredible technological advancements, and it’s been exhilarating to watch. I am eager to see what happens next.

It’s that time of year again: IPC’s IMPACT Washington, D.C. 2018 is on the horizon. As a global, industry-driven organization, IPC exists to help its member companies innovate, compete, and succeed in the electronics industry.

A recent IPC global survey found that while the skills gap may vary depending on the job role and geographic location surveyed, many companies in the industry are struggling to find the talent they need, and the problem is expected to continue over the next decade.

IPC is investing in the future by supporting our members’ workforce and training needs to meet the demands of a continually changing and advancing industry. With the creation of our Job Task Analysis Committee (JTA), we are collaborating with a group of industry subject matter experts tasked with the responsibility of defining a competency model for the electronics industry.

In this new role, Chris will work closely with IPC’s Government Relations Steering Committee and its government relations team based in Washington, D.C. Chris will represent IPC and the electronics manufacturing industry before key policymakers globally and identify issues and other opportunities where IPC can demonstrate its leadership in government relations and public policy.

From the Americas to Europe, Asia and beyond, the future of the electronics manufacturing industry is shaped in many ways by government policies. This will be true like never before in 2018, as legislators and regulators the world over are eyeing policy decisions on issues such as technology research and development, taxes, workforce skills, and the environment.

2017

Across the United States, the first Friday in October represents the annual celebration of Manufacturing Day. On this date, manufacturers and supporters come together to celebrate the longevity and success of our industry. Since 2012, Manufacturing Day has served as a chance to learn about the businesses that thrive in our communities and contribute greatly to the economy.

In a recent survey of our U.S. member companies[1], most said they have a hard time finding local talent to run their businesses. Respondents cited many essential skills that are in short supply, but the most common ones are soldering for production jobs, and engineers with industry experience, especially in process, test, and quality control. Making matters even more challenging, as new innovations emerge, new skills requirements emerge as well.

Automotive electronics is not a new topic. While there is a trend for both performance and luxury electronics, many of the recent conversations tend to focus on self-driving/autonomous vehicles. While the technology is exciting, it is just the tip of the iceberg.

The manufacturing industry is truly a global one. While the past few decades have seen the rise of manufacturing in China and countries throughout Europe and South America, the last 10 years have been marked by significant progress in India. While the greater Asian area has flourished, India has been hampered by many factors including a struggling infrastructure.

The skills gap is a chronic problem in the manufacturing sector. Most manufacturing companies have a hard time aligning the talent needed to run their businesses with the talent that is available to work locally. And as new innovations emerge, new skills requirements emerge as well.

When you have concerns about government regulations and policies that impact your business, what can you do? Among several options, a direct approach is one of the best: Reach out to your elected officials and share your concerns. The odds are good that they will be responsive and look into ways of helping out a hometown business.

Count me among those business leaders who thought the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was on the right track last year and would have brought significant benefits to all nations, including the United States. Before President Trump withdrew the United States from the TPP trade negotiations, I had argued it would have unified the world’s most dynamic economic region—bringing together developed and developing countries that collectively represent 825 million consumers and 40% of the world’s economic output.

To truly increase the number of American manufacturing jobs, President Trump should support increased investment in research and development for advanced manufacturing, promote and fund STEM education in primary and secondary schools, and build stronger apprenticeship programs. It is this type of investment—in human capital and technology—that will truly help make American manufacturing great again.

As President Trump was being sworn in several weeks ago, and as the new Congress was getting down to work, IPC released its Global Policy Framework for 2017. As we work to represent more than 3,800 member facilities across the electronics industry’s global supply chain, IPC will adhere to this framework to guide our policy work in the coming months. All of our advocacy efforts are aimed at fostering an environment in which electronics manufacturers and their suppliers can thrive and grow.

Technology isn’t just a tangible entity. It moves beyond what we can see, feel, and touch. It is ideas and theories. It includes philosophy and risks. In a way, technology itself is like the stock market. Different industries hedge their bets on emerging trends. These trends develop into useful products that change our world.

2016

John Mitchell's new column's title says it all: One World, One Industry. In the coming columns, the IPC president will be covering issues affecting the entire global electronics industry supply chain with specific expertise on global standards, education, advocacy and solutions.

The orchestra conductor is an apt metaphor for the successful leader. Effective leadership often boils down to the ability to inspire others (the symphony) to their best work, while keeping and driving the overall vision of the organization (the musical score).

On Tuesday, November 8, more than 240 million people in the United States will have the opportunity to go to the polls and vote, make their voices heard in government, and influence the direction of public policy for years to come. Much of the world is closely watching with interest in this major U.S. election.